At a time when wage growth is at record lows the last thing workers need is a wage cut, that will leave them worse off, and will remove spending from the economy.

Malcolm Turnbull has failed to criticise the cut and has no plans to change legislation to protect low-paid workers.

While the penalty rates cuts will not hit educators directly, they will hit many low-income families who send their children to public schools.

The average worker in accommodation and food services earns $524 a week and those in the retail trade earn just $687 - compared with a $1,163 average for all Australian workers.”

These are the last people who deserve a pay cut.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions has said it is determined to make penalty rates a major issue, and will lobby every MP to protect low-paid workers.

ACTU President Ged Kearney said that the union movement would continue campaigning until working people were protected from cuts that reduced their take home pay.

“Whether it is the Prime Minister or a back bench MP no one in parliament can hide from their responsibility to ensure that there is a solution that prevents these hard working people from seeing their pay go backwards,” Ms Kearney said.

“Fair Work rules can be changed — the Prime Minister knows this but based on his current comments seems more interested in pandering to his big business supporters than in protecting these workers.”

“The Government intervened when it has suited it do so in the past and now it must step in to protect Australia’s lowest paid workers from this savage pay cut.”

We need to stand firm and ensure that Malcolm Turnbull understands he can not support cuts to pay and conditions that workers rely on.